Leather-working machine



(No Model.)

W. SGHWEIGKHARDT. LEATHER WORKING MACHINE. No. 408,896.

Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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lxhtnaooeo fl amvawfoz NITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

lVILLIAM SOHXVEIOKHARDT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LEATHER-WORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,896, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed May 14,1889. Serial No. 310,768. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SoHwEIcK- HARDT, a subject of the King of Viirtemberg,

Germany, and a resident of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Treating Raw or Tanned Hides, of which the folrotary shaft upon which the hides are wound.

and rewound; and the object of my improvements is, first, to provide an improved fastening device by which the leather hides are clamped to the central rotating shaft; second, to obviate the hard friction and rubbing of the hides upon the inside faces of the stationary plate or plates of the cylinder as now made, and whereby the hides are overheated and blackened; and, third, to improve the adjustability of the metal segments of the cylinder so as to prevent their being displaced by the crowding of the hides upon them during the operation of the machine. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the bedplate and lower ring of my machine, showing the outer and inner annular flanges and triangular stops cast onto the ring, and plan View of the lower circular plate, and also metal segments of the cylinder and central rotating shaft in section. Fig. 2 represents a central sectional elevation of my machine through bed-plate, top and bottom rings, metal segments of the cylinder, and top and bottom circular plates attached to central rotating shaft, and also a side elevation of the central rotating shaft with fastening device clamped to slot of same in position for holding the hides. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan through slot of central rotating shaft and fastening device in their relative position for gripping the hides, showing toothed faces of both. Fig. 4

is an enlarged perspective view of central rotating shaft and fastening device, the parts being drawn apart to better show the toothed face of slot in the rotating shaft and mortises in the ends of the slot, the tenons of the fastening device, which fit in the mortises of the slot, and also the long screws, by means of which the fastening device is adjusted to the shaft. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front View of central rotating shaft, showing the toothed face of the slot and mortises in the ends of the slot Fig. (3 is an enlarged front View of the fastening device, showing its toothed face and tenons. Fig.7 is a top view of the removable segment of the cylinder. Fig. 8 is a front View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the bed-plate supported in asubstantial manner to bear the weight of the machine and provided with the central opening a.

To the bed-plate A the metal ring B is secured by bolts 1'), said metal ring B being provided with an annular outer flange b and an inner annular flange 19 which is rounded off toward the inside of the cylinder, so as to prevent rubbing of the hides, both these flanges projecting upward from the face of the ring. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The metal ringB is also provided with the triangular stops b cast to and forming part of the out-er annular flange 1). Between these spaces formed by the outer and inner annular flanges and triangular stops of the metal ring 13 the metal segments F F G move and are made adjustable near the bottom of same. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

0 represents a heavy crown-shaped metal ring, through which the rotating shaft E is centrally journaled and which passes through the opening a of bed-plate A, whereit is pro.- vided with any suitable system of gearing by which an alternating and reverse rotary motion is imparted to the same, the said rotating shaft E being provided at its upper end with the ring 0', having the set-screws 0 0, by means of which said ring 0 can be firmly fixed and held against said shaft for the purpose of preventing any upward movement of the crown-shaped metal ring 0 during the operation of the machine. The crownshaped metal ring 0 is also provided with the metal ring D, which is secured to the under side of said ring by the bolts d, the said ring D having an annular outer flange d and an inner annular flange (Z and the triangular stops (1", (see Fig. 2,) so that they project downward and'are otherwise similar to those provided for in the lower metal ring B, secured to the bed-plate A, and in which similar spaces formed by the outer and inner annular flanges and triangular stops of the ring D the metal segments F F G move and are made adj ustable near the top of same.

00 0; represent lugs cast to the crown-shaped surface of the metal ring C, to which the wooden stays or braces y 1 are bolted, so as to brace and firmly hold the machine during its operation.

The upper and lower metal rings marked, respectively, B and D, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) are further provided on their outer annular flanges b and d with threaded apertures, into which fit the long screws H II, &c., (see Figs. 1 and 2,) the threads of which correspond to the aperturethreads, so that by means of the pressure of the screws working on their threads themetal segments F F G can be adjusted at will toward the central rotating shaft E.

F F G represent the adjustable metal segments forming the cylinder, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and which may be of any suitable diameter and height, so as to fit the spaces of the outer and inn er annular flanges and triangular stops of the upper and lower metal rings B and D, as indicated in dotted lines and in section in Fig. 1. If desired, the segments maybe also made of wood; but I prefer to have them of steel or iron. Of these metal segments it is designed that the segment marked G is to be entirely removable, and that the two marked F F shall receive the weight of the crownshaped metal ring (l and metal ring D and not be removable, but be adjustable within the spaces of the flanges.

In order to be able to remove the metal segment marked G, so as to get to the central rotating shaft E of the cylinder for the purpose of fastening or taking out the hides, the metal ring D is cast so as to leave a space or clearance (1" in same, (see Fig. 2,) which space or clearance being of the extent of the segment, by lifting the segment into the clearance (Z and thus raising the lower edge of same over the projecting flange 1) of the lower ring B, the segment may be readily withdrawn, and thus allow access to the rotating shaft. Temporary wedges are then introduced into the clearance d, to prevent the said segment from moving upward into the clearance during the operation of the machine.

I and .I represent circular plates, which are attached to the central rotating shaft E. The said plates are provided with smooth inner faces toward the inside of the cylinder, and

are of diameter to fit, respectively, the circular openings formed at the places within the flange d of the upper ring I) and the flange I) of the lower ring B, and have the rings i and j, by which they are passed over the rotating shaft and secured by screws placed in the rings to said shaft, the circular plate I then forming the top closure of the cylinder and the circular plate J the bottom closure thereof. These circular plates I and J, by reason. of their being attached to the central rotating shaft E, upon which the hides are wound and rewound, have consequently the same alternating and reverse rotary motion, therefore do not rub the hides, and thus prevent the hard friction and abrasion of the same, by which they are overheated and blackened, as usual in this class of machines, in which either the top or bottom or both plates of the cylinder are stationary.

K represents the fastening device by which the leather hides are held and clamped to the central rotating shaft E. (See Figs. 2, and 4.) It consists of an elongated segmental piece of metal of diameter similar to the rota-ting shaft E, having the toothed face I. to grip the hides and tenons 7c to fit the corresponding mortises k k at the ends of the slot in the rotating shaft E, and also threaded apertures to receive the long screws Z Z, the. (See Figs. at and 6.) This elongated piece of metal or fastening device K fits into and corresponds to the elongated slot cut out of the rotating shaft E between the points m m, and having the toothed face M in said slot to grip the hides, (see Figs. 2, l, and 5,) and also the mortises k 7.3 at the ends of said slot to receive the tenons 70' 7c of the fastening device,

so as to firmly hold the samein place; and, further, the rotating shaft E is similarly provid ed with threaded apertures at the places to correspond with those in the fastening device K, so as to receive the long screws Z Z, the. Thus when the hides are introduced between the toothed face M in the slot and the toothed face L of the fastening device, by turning the long screws Z Z, dse, the fastening device K (guided by its tenons 70 7t falling into the mortises 7,2 70 at the ends of the slot) is pressed inward into the slot, thereby effectnally clamping and holding the hides.

As shown in Figs. 2 and I, the long screws Z Z, &c., are designed to be placed apart at equal distances, so as to afford the required spaces between them for the gripping of the hides, the said long screws also serving specially to hold the fastening device in the mortises and prevent the same from moving sidewise.

The operation of the machineis as follows: Raw or tanned, or partially tanned, hides from which the hair and other uncleanliness have been removed are smeared and rubbed with a stuffing composed of several fatty substances, and the hides to be treated are then introduced and secured to the central rotating shaft by means of the fastening device. The alternately reverse motion of the shaft then causes the hides to beat against the interior walls of the cylinder, by which means they become softened and broken.

It will be seen that the metal segments forming the cylinder, and moving in the spaces between the outer and inner annular flanges of the top and bottom rings B and D,

IIO

can be readily adjusted by the long screws H H, &c., so that the diameter of the cylinder in which the hides are being acted upon can be more or less contracted, thereby facilitating the breaking of the hides; also, that during the operation of the machine the outside annular flanges b and d of both the lower and upper metal rings B and D will prevent the segments from being crowded out by the beating of the hides against them; also, that the inner annular flange b and d of the same rings will prevent the segments from being pushed in and coming in contact with the rotating circular plates I and J, attached to the rotating shaft E, while the triangular stops in the same rings will prevent the segments from touching or knocking against each other, and,'further, also prevent the displacing of the segments, so they cannot slip behind each other, all of which things have happened in the machine as usually constructed.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure, is

1. In a leather-working machine, the improved fastening device K, consisting of an elongated segmental piece of metal having the toothed face L to grip the hides, tenons k 7t, and threaded apertures, with the long screws Z l, &c., in combination with the central rotating shaft E, having the cut-out elongated slot between the points m m, the toothed face M in said slot to grip the hides, the mortises k 7& to receive the tenons 70 k, and threaded apertures to receive the long screws 11, &c., by means of which the fastening device is adjusted to said shaft so as to clamp the hides, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina leather-working machine, the circular plates I and J, having the rings 2" and j','in combination with the central rotating shaft E, to which they are attached, respectively, at the places within the circular openings of the inner annular flange d of upper ring D, and the inner annular flange b of lower ring B,so as to form the top and bottom closures of the cylinder, and thus'having the same alternating and reverse motion as the shaft upon which the hides are wound and rewound, thereby preventing the hard friction and rubbing of the hides, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a leather-working machine, the combination of the metal segments F F G and the long screws H H, &c., with the metal ring B, having the outer andinner annular flanges b b and triangular stops b and the metal ring D, having the outer and inner annular flanges d and d and triangular steps (i by means of which said flanges and stops the metal segments F F G are prevented from being displaced by the crowding of the hides upon them, as and for the purpose set forth.

WVILLIAM SOIDVEICKHARDT.

WVitnesses:

J ornv W. HERTHEL, HENRY AHLBRANDT. 

